A place for families

Recap: We want your healthy snack tips!

Cold enough for you? The ice on my car in the morning is getting thicker by the day, and the ground looks like a winter wonderland. It’s been a bit chilly, don’t you think?

So grab a blanket and a warm cup of cocoa, and see what’s going on over at SantaRosaMom.com this week!

Healthy kids’ snacks
We’re looking for suggestions for healthy snacks at SantaRosaMom.com. And we’re taking our favorite answers and publishing them in the newspaper! What do you feed your kids when the snack monster hits? Share your tips in the forums.

Possible princess for Will and Kate
The times, they are a-changin’ – at least over at the palace. The Queen has declared that even if William and Kate’s baby is a girl, she will still hold a title and have rights to the throne. Now that’s cool!

Lambie reunited with his “mom”!
This is one of my favorite stories of the week. A toddler lost her little stuffed lamb over the holidays, and her family sought the help of SantaRosaMom.com to find the beloved toy. Thanks to the keen eyes of one of our readers, the little lamb was found! Read more in the forums. And stay tuned, because rumor is that Chris Smith has followed up on the lost lamb saga, and will be sharing about it in his column.

Elton John a dad again
And finally, the Elton John baby watch can officially relax now. Baby Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John was born on Friday, January 11th, via surrogate, and the family could not be more happy.

Sat., Jan. 19Family Hike: Join Spring Lake Regional Park for their monthly hike around the Environmental Discovery Center. There are two hikes – one starting at 1 p.m., and the other at 3 p.m. Afterwards, kids can take part in a related crafts project. Free, though parking is $7 (free for parks members). 393 Violetti Rd., Santa Rosa. sonoma-county.org/parks/edc.htm

About this blog

There’s an old African proverb that states “It takes a village to raise a child”, and these days that proverb has never been more true. Whether we’re related by blood or by intention, families come in all forms, and are only defined by the bonds of love.

This blog, which was started by author Crissi Langwell, continues forward with new voices including Stephanie Ansley (a new mom facing the joys of first-time parenthood), as well as Paul Gullixson (a parent and coach of a team of 12-year-olds) and Meg McConahey (a mom with enough experience to have some good laughs about the whole thing).

We welcome all kinds of voices, and you may see some additional viewpoints from other Press Democrat writers and local contributors. Because it truly does take a village.